Amusement apparatus



H. B. MOORE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED-FEB. 6. 1920.

1,367,417, Patented Feb. 1,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. B. MOORE.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6, 1920.

1,367,417. 11611161 Feb.1,1921.

2 -SHEI'TI'S SHEET 2.

IN [/5 N TOR H BEHESFORD MOORE,

HENRY BERESFORID MOORE, 0F LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1921.

Application filed February 6, 1920. Serial No. 356,697.

To all whom it vmty COOKIQWU Be 1t known that I, HENRY Bnn'nsroin) Moons, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Liverpool, England,

have invented certain new and useful Im provements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus preferably for outdoor amusement which is designed. to enable the users to imitate the action of skeeing or sledging. In actual may stand in the snow shoes inthe trolley.

The trolley or the like to which the snow shoes are secured may be free or positively connected, to, and driven down or along, the track by an endless chain or other flexible or the like elements. At some portion in the track a gap is arranged across which the player, still supported inthe trolley, is carried by mechanism such as an armedwheel or the like, the ends of the arms of which engage the trolley orother mechanism on the one side of the gap and carry it across to the opposite side by, preferably, an angular movement, the trolley or the like being then disengaged from the armed wheel when. at the opposite side of the gap and permitted to continue the flight down the remaining portion of the track. If desired, also, the flight down the remaining portion of the track may be positively controlled by means of. the trolley or other mechanism being conhosted, on reaching the. farther side of the gap, to another or thesame endless chain or tl'exible or other element. The essential feature of the invention consists in the" carrying ofthe player across a considerable disposed in the incline, this. carrying over being preferably effected by means of a series of radial arms which are timedrelat-ively to the speed of the endless chain or flexible element so that the ends of the arms always engage one of the sledges or trolleys, carry it by an angular movement across the gap and disengage it at the far side, to perunit the trolley or the like to continue, preferably by gravity, down the remaining portion of the track.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure l. is an elevation of an apparatus in which the trolley in running down the inclined track is connected to a controlling chain, Fig. 2. be ingan analogous view in which the trolley is free of such controlling chain. Fig. 3. a fragmentary detailed view showing the trolley engaging with the end of one arm of the armed wheel which carries the trolley across the gap, this view also showing a release mechanism for the arm and for the succeedingtrolley. Fig. 4:. is a fragmentary plan view of the detent for holding the trolley on the armed wheel against the rebound of the buffer springs. F 5. shows amodiiication in which a single armed element vi.- brates across the gap under a weighted con trol.

In a suitable construction an inclined trackl is provided along which is positioned an. endless chain or chains, 2, Fig. l, or flexible bands, these endless chains or bands beingcarried around and guided upon suitable rollers 3, sprocket wheels, drums, or the like.

Means are provided for driving the flexible chains or the like element such. as the drive 4 from the power house 5. To the endless chain 2 or other flexible element are detachably connected trolleys 14, sledges, or other receptacles in which the player is supported, either in a sitting or standing posi' tion. Where the player stands in the trolley, this may be fitted with shoes or snow shoes, and in order to enable the operator or player to stand upright, a guide rail or other protection maybe carried up from the trolley to which rail the operator may be strapped or otherwise supported.

Mounted rotatahly near the gap 2 is a shaft? carrying an armed or the like structure 6 having, say three, or more equiangnlar long projecting arms, the ends of which are adapted to sweep closely past the end ofthe path 1 and the chains 2 or flexible el ments carrying the trolley, and engage with the trolley 14 or the like, so that when the trolley reaches the end of the path 1 the arms 6, now

I engaging the trolley, carry it in an outward sweep across thesgap 2 to the opposite side 1 where the trolley becomes disengaged from the arm. At this point, the trolley may either run freely down the remaining incline 1, engaging suitable retaining guides or otherwise, or it may be arranged to con nect up with'other or the same flexible chain or element and be positively continued in its flight. If desired, the endless chains carrying the trolleys down the first part of the track 1 may be connected with, and either drive, or be driven from, the armed wheel (3, and these flexible chains may be continued across the gap and along the remaining portion 1 off the incline.

The continuous chain 2 may be driven from the same shaft 7 as that which drives the armed wheel 6 by the chain or belt drive 8. The armed wheel 6 is carried on a suitable t'rame support 9, and the final portion 1 of the track may be arranger so that the trolleys run back by gravity to the starting point 10, whence they are raised up the incline 11 by an endless chain 12 passing over rollers or sprockets 13 until they are de posited on the beginning of the track 1.

In operation, the trolley let carrying the player or players being at the starting point 10, is carried up the incline 11 by the chain or the like 12 and deposited on the track 1. As the trolley travels or rolls down this inclined track, an abutment 15 on the trolley engages one of the stops 16 on the chain, the movement of which latter permits the trolley to roll down the incline until it reaches the arm 6 when the stop 16, passing around the right hand roller, trees itseli from the trolley. The trolley wheels 17 run on to the top platform 18 of the arm, and a stop 19 on the trolley engages spring butter 20 on the rm end to take up the shock. At the same time a projection 21 on the trolley engages behind a detent 22 which is pivoted at 23 and is re siliently controlled by the spring 2t. This detent 22 holds the trolley on the platform 18 against the rebound of the spring butter 20. As the arm 6 swings around, the stop 19 will disengage itself from the end member of the spring butter 20, and the trolley llwill ride down the second part- 1 of the track. Disengagement of the stop 19 from the spring butter is effected by impact of the trolley with the side 1" of the gap which temporarily arrests the flight of the trolley while the arm 6 continues its angular movement which moves the spring butter 20 down and away from the stop 19. Another trolley has in the meantime been raised up the incline 11 and deposited on the track 1 down which -it runs until arrested by one of the stops 16 on the traveling chain 2. In this way the trolleys are being continuously deposited on the track 1 and, after jumping the gap on the arms 6, pass down the track 1 and are returned to the starting point 10. The steps 16 space the'trolleys apart in step with the angular movement of the arms.

In the modification shown in lfi-ig. 2, the trolleys are also raised up the incline 11 from the starting point 10 by the endless chain 12, passing around the rollers 13 and are deposited on the track 1, but instead o i being controlled down this track by a movable chain, they fall freely by gravity until they engage the arm (3 to jump the gap as previously described. A timing release mechanism is preferably provided, the stop 16, Fig. 2, against which the trolley is arrested at the top of the track 1 being role: ml by the en agement of the preceding car with the end or the trolley arm (3. This release mechanism is shown in Fig. Pivotally mounted at 23 is an arm slidahlc in :1 block 25, under a spring control. 26, the block 25 carrying a bracket 27 connected by a link 28 to the stop 16, a pull on the link :28 elicit ing, in any suitable manner, the release ol the stop 16 from its engagement in front oi the trolley. The arm 2% i slotted at '2 and carries a. catch 30 adapted to engage in a recess 31 in the end of" the arm (3. Adjustahly iixed in the slot 29 ot the arm 21- is a can) piece 32, which is engaged by the foot o i the abutment 15. engagement with the recess 31 when the arm 6 is at rest. As the trolley makes contact with the arm 6, the abutment 15 engages the cam depressing the arm 21 about its pivot 23 releasing the catch 30 from the 1'((5(3.S.\ and rocking the lever 27 and pulling the link 28 to release the catch 16, thus permitting the succeeding trolley to roll down the track. In the meantime the arm 6 being "freed from the catch 30, moves across the gap with the trolley and the next arm (3 comes into position in time to receive the next trolley. the catch 30 having again entered the recess 31. This catch by entering the recess anchors the arm 6 against angular movement due to the impact of the trolley against the butler 20, and the force of the impact on the arm 21% is taken by the spring 26, the arm 21-" sliding in the block 25.

In the modification shown in Fig. mechanism for jumping the trolley across the gap takes the form of a single armed element 83 under the control of a weight 3 11 or if desired a spring, the arm 33 in this case merely vibrating to and fro across the gap in the manner of a pendulum. A the trolley rolls down the incline, it engages against the end of the arm 33, the impact carrying the arm 33 with the trolley engaged thereon across the gap 2". and swinging the weight 3 1 upwardly. Directly the trolley is freed from the end of the arm 33, the weight 3srestores the arm to the ver- 5, the

Normally the catch 30 is in Cir ill)

tical receiving position for the next trolley. This latter form of the invention is particularly suitable where the apparatus is designed a toy.

. The second portion 1 of the incline may terminate in a gentle upward sweep to arrest the movement of the trolleys gradually, and a series of gaps may be provided in the track across each of which the players are carried byarmed devices such as mentioned.

The sides of the track are preferably built up to imitate the scenery usual in a skeeing district, such as snow covered slopes and the like.

I claim:

1. An amusementapparatus, comprising, an inclined track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to run down the track, and a pivoted. armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular vertical sweep.

An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, movable flexible elements on the track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to be carried down the track by the flexible elements, a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular sweep and transfer it to the continuation or the track beyond the gap.

3. An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, movable chains 011 the track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to be carried down the track by the chains, and a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular sweep.

ilz. An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, movable chains on the track, stops on the chains, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to be carried down the track by the chains, an abutment on the trolley engaging the stops on the chain,

whereby a series of trolleys may be spaced and timed in their flight down the track, and a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular sweep.

5. An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to run down the track, and an armed wheel adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular sweep.

(9. An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to run down the track, a stop mechanism on the track adapted to arrest the trolley from running down the track, a releasing device for the stop, and a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular vertical sweep.

7. An amusement apparatus, comprising, an inclined track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to run down the track, a stop mechanism on the track adapted to arrest the trolley from running down the track, a releasing device for the stop, said release being operated by the engagement of the trolley with a pivoted armed element, and a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the gap by an angular sweep.

8. An amusement apparatus, comprising,

an inclined track, a gap in the track, a trolley adapted to run down the track, a pivoted armed element adapted to carry the trolley across the ga) by an angular sweep, and a resilient butler on the arm to take the impact of the trolley.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in pres nice of two witnesses.

HENRY BERESFORD MOORE. Witnesses l A. J. DAVIES, T. VVA'rsoN. 

